Hair curler



March 4, 1941. a F, FRY 2,233,712

HAIR CURLER Filed Dec. 29, 1939 FIG];

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Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAIR CURLER poration of Ohio Application December 29, 1939, Serial No. 311,566

Claims.

This invention relates to hair curling devices and is particularly directed to the type in which the hair is curled on a mandrel in a wet or treated condition and allowed to set or dry prior to 5 removal.

In the use of hair curlers of the above type it has been foundthat if the hair is wound in place as tightly as it should be satisfactorily to form a curl, it is difficult to release it from its anchorage without discomfort and without partially displacing it from its curled position. The present invention has for its primary object to eliminate this disadvantage by providing a hair anchoring means which does not become buried in the wound, curled hair but which remains freely and easily releasable at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hair curler in which the Winding of the hair thereon is easily started as well as being easily releasable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing which shows one embodimentthereof and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of a hair curler embodying the invention with hair wound thereon;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with parts broken away and with the retaining part swung away;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged-sectional View, similar to i Fig. 3, with the parts in releasing position;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of the device opened to starting position;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, with parts broken 40? away, of the device with a modified form of retain-er;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the modification shown in Fig. 7, and

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawing, a curler embodying the invention includes spaced pivoted tongues l0 and I2 which together define a cylindrical mandrel about which the hair is wound to form a curl. The tongue ID has its inner end formed as a tube l3 while the inner end of tongue I2 is of U-form in cross-section to straddle the part 13 and provide extensions l6 below its central plane. The two tongues are mounted on a common tubular bearing 20 and swing thereon. A pin l8 passes through the tubular bearing and engages an encircling metallic collar 22 at each side so that the parts are held in assembled relation and are able to swing with respect to each other.

It is old in this art to provide opposed pivotally connected tongues similar to the tongues ill and i2 and to utilize these parts as a mandrel on which to form a curl of hair. Such an operation requires that the end of the hair be gripped between the tongues and the remainder wound over the exterior surfaces. In order to release a formed curl from a device of this character, an attempt had to be made to spread the tongues enoughv to release the initially gripped hair ends and then to slide the body of the curl laterally from the partially separated tongues. Such a procedure was uncomfortable and unsatisfactory since it was necessary to partially uncurl the hair in carrying it out. A few attempts have been made to remedy this defect by providing a separate gripping slot and clamp for the hair ends, so that they could be released independently from the main body of the curl. This provided only a partial solution to the problem for the reason that it was diflicult to start the hair into the limited, area provided by the slot and by the holding or clamping means.

The present invention retains the ease of operation of the old opposed tongue curling devices and yet provides means to clamp the hair independently of the tongues which form the mandrel on which the hair is wound and, in addition, retains the wide opening which characterizes the prior devices.

According to the present invention, the hair clamping means includes a pivoted inner finger 24, one surface of which corresponds to the inner surface of one of the tongues, as for example, the tongue. l2. As shown in Fig. 3, the finger 24 is biased by a spring 26 to bear against the inner surface of the tongue I2 and toclamp hair between its outer surface and the inner surface of the tongue.

The spring 26 is preferably turned around the bearing 20 and has one end projected against the clamping member and the other end against the under surface of the tongue I2 in such a manner as to urge the parts together.

The finger 24 at its rear end is formed with a cylindrical portion of smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion of the tongue l0 and is over the same bearing 20. The length of the finger is such that its extreme end will move down into contact with the tongue I!) after it has moved away from its clamping position and may thus serve to cause a separation of the upper and lower tongues, as shown in Fig. 6.

Tongue I2 is extended outwardly and divergently as at I 4 to form a gripping surface and the tubular portion of the finger 24 is likewise extended to form a gripping surface by which the curler can be moved to open position.

When the parts are in their extreme separated positions, insertion of the end of a mass of hair is a very simple matter, the device being separated exactly as the former devices were separated. The end of the hair is inserted between the wideopen parts and when the operator releases the opening pressure,- the parts automatically as-' sume the closed and clamping position shown in Fig. 3 with the finger 24 gripping the hair against the inner side of the tongue 12. The hair is then wound around the outer curler surface in the usual manner and the usual retaining device is applied to keep the curled hair from straightening. In the. usual application the hair is curled on. the mandrel until the retainer lies against the, head. However, the curling may be stopped at any point and the retainer will still prevent uncurling.

The retaining device may include a rubber covered U-shaped member 28, the ends of which are fastened into a collar 21 which fits over and is carried by the retaining collar 22. The bight portion of the member 28 carries a plug 30 which bears against the ends of the closed tongues Ill and I2 and, when so positioned, stresses the portion 28 slightly by means of a spring 3.2 carried within the plug 30 and between it and the bight portion of the member 26. When so positioned, the plug 39 exerts a small end thrust against the tongues, and causes a slight friction between 001- lars 2'! and 22.

The retaining device above described may be modified as shown in. Figs. '7, 8 and 9, to provide a somewhat simpler assembly. In thisform the collar 27' has a relatively large internal bore to receive the retaining collar 22 and a spring 34'is interposed between the two collars to introduce a slight resistance to their relativerotation. The longitudinal retaining member may be made of a single strip 35 of metal or other suitable material to replace the rubber covered member 28. A catch 38 is hinged to the end of strip 3'6 and carries a button 40 of resilient material which may fit snugly into the end of the mandrel formed by the outer tongue members.

When it is desired to release the hair clamped by the device, the operator applies pressure to the r outer end of the finger 24 and to the upper surface of the tongue I!) where it is extended. The hair holds the tongues l and 12 against separation but the finger 24 is moved away from the previously clamped hair ends so that the entire curl can be slid laterally from the curler, endw-ise of the latter, without in any way disturbing its curled formation.

While the invention has been described in connection wtih a specific form anddisposition of the parts, it should be appreciated that various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and that such modifications are included within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire tosecure b United States Letters Patent is:

1. A curling device of the class described including pivotally connected outer tongue members about which hair is formed, and a relatively movable inner member cooperating with the inner surface of one of said tongue members to form a clamp for hair ends, said outer tongue members being separable to create a wide opening for the. entrance of said hair ends.

2- A curling device of the class described including pivotally connected outer tongue membersabout which hair is formed, a separately movable inner member cooperating with the inner surface. of one of said tongue members to form .a clamp .for .hair, and means to mount said inner member to swing relative to said tongue members to clamping and unclamping positions, said outer tongue members being separable to create a wide opening for the entrance of hair ends.

3-,A curling device of the class describedincluding pivotally connected outer tongue members about which hair is formed, a separately movable inner member cooperating with the inner surface of one of said tongue members to form. a. clamp for hair, and means to mount said inner member to swing with one of said tongue members whereby a Wide. openingis created to receive said hair ends and to swing independently of bothv of said tongue members to release said hair ends. p

4. A curling device of the class described includingouter tongue members about which hair is formed, a separately movable inner member cooperating with the inner surface of one of said tongue members to .form a clamp for hair, and a common pivot for said tongue members and for said inner member whereby said tongue mem-' bers can swing to open and closed position and said inner member swings with one of said tongue members in opening position and independently of both of said tongue members to releasing position..

5. A curling device of the class described including pivotally connected outer tongue members about which hair is formed, a separately movable inner member cooperating with the inner surface of one of said tongue members to form a clamp for hair, means to mount said inner member to swing relative to said tongue members to clamping and unclamping position and gripping extensions formed on one of said tongue members and said inner member whereby pressure applied thereto causes an unclamping movement of said inner member and an opening movement of said tongue members.

BENJAMIN F. PRYOR. 

